Αν ξεκλειδώσεις πριν κοιτάξεις ποιος είναι έξω, μπορεί να γίνει παρεξήγηση, οπότε περίμενε λίγο.

If you unlock before you check who is outside, a misunderstanding can happen, so wait a bit.

Breakdown of Αν ξεκλειδώσεις πριν κοιτάξεις ποιος είναι έξω, μπορεί να γίνει παρεξήγηση, οπότε περίμενε λίγο.

• είμαι: to be
• να: to
• πριν: before
• περιμένω: to wait
• αν: if
• έξω: outside
• ποιος: who
• γίνομαι: to happen
• οπότε: so
• λίγο: a bit
• η παρεξήγηση: the misunderstanding
• ξεκλειδώνω: to unlock
• κοιτάζω: to check / to look
• μπορώ: to be able (can)

Questions & Answers about Αν ξεκλειδώσεις πριν κοιτάξεις ποιος είναι έξω, μπορεί να γίνει παρεξήγηση, οπότε περίμενε λίγο.

Why does the sentence start with Αν? What kind of if is this?

Αν introduces a real/possible condition about the future (or a general situation): If you unlock (in that situation), then…. It’s not a hypothetical if you were to… (which often uses different past forms).

What tense/mood is ξεκλειδώσεις? Why not ξεκλειδώνεις?

ξεκλειδώσεις is aorist subjunctive (2nd person singular) from ξεκλειδώνω. After αν (and also after πριν), Greek commonly uses the subjunctive to refer to a future or not-yet-realized action.
Using ξεκλειδώνεις (present indicative) would sound more like a general habit (if you unlock / whenever you unlock) depending on context, but here the phrasing points to a specific potential situation.

Where is the word for will? How does Greek express “if you unlock” without a future tense?

Greek often expresses “future-like” meaning with subjunctive forms rather than a dedicated future tense in the if-clause. The “future” sense is carried by Αν + subjunctive (here αν ξεκλειδώσεις).

Why is it πριν κοιτάξεις and not πριν να κοιτάξεις?

Both are possible: πριν κοιτάξεις and πριν να κοιτάξεις.
The να is often optional after πριν. Leaving it out can sound a bit more streamlined/neutral, but neither option is wrong.

What form is κοιτάξεις? Is it related to κοιτάζω?

Yes. κοιτάξεις is also aorist subjunctive (2nd person singular) from κοιτάζω (to look). Aorist here focuses on the action as a single completed check: before you take a look / before you check.

How does ποιος είναι έξω work grammatically? Is it a question?

It’s an embedded (indirect) question: before you look to see who is outside.
Inside the embedded question, Greek keeps normal question word order: ποιος (who) + είναι (is) + έξω (outside).

Why is έξω used instead of something like “outside the door” with a noun?

έξω is a very common adverb meaning outside (as in “outside [the house/door]”). Greek often leaves the location implicit when it’s obvious from context (here: outside the door).

What does μπορεί να γίνει literally mean, and why is it phrased that way?

Literally it means it may/can happen (word-for-word: it can to become). Greek uses γίνομαι (to happen / to become) very naturally for events: μπορεί να γίνει παρεξήγηση = a misunderstanding might occur.

Why is παρεξήγηση in this form (and not with an article)?

παρεξήγηση is nominative singular because it’s the subject of γίνει: a misunderstanding might happen.
The article is optional here; without μια/η, it reads as a general possibility: there could be misunderstanding / a misunderstanding could arise.

What does οπότε mean here? Is it the same as τότε?

Here οπότε means so / therefore / in that case, linking the result/advice to what came before.
τότε is more purely then (at that time), while οπότε often signals conclusion or consequence.

Why is περίμενε used, and what form is it?

περίμενε is the imperative (2nd person singular) of περιμένω: wait. It gives a direct instruction/advice following the warning.

What does λίγο mean in περίμενε λίγο? Is it “a little” or “for a while”?

It’s an adverbial use meaning a little / for a moment / a bit. In this context it’s “wait a bit (before unlocking).”